Jo Allsebrook and Zara Glover, (l-r) both from England, took the lead in the women's Masters competition as the preliminaries have reached the halfway point. Both players cracked the 1400-bar over six games on the short oil pattern.

Allsebrook started with a 765 3-game set including a near-perfect 298 in game #2 and added 645 to lead the field of 12 players from 8 countries (Australia, Canada, England and Singapore brought both players into the Masters) with 1410 and an average of 235.00.

Glover had 673 for the first three games and came up strong in the second part with 730 to sit in second place mere 7 pins behind with 1403 (233.83).

Jo-Ann Sanesac, Canada, was third with 1359 (226.50). Three mire women reached the 1300-mark. Singapore's Jazreel Tan (left) and Jennifer Tan finished the first block in fourth and sixth place with 1313 and 1302, respectively. Sandwiched between the Singaporeans in fifth place was Sin Li Jane (right), Malaysia with 1312.

The 12 women will return on Saturday for the second and final block on long oil. The top 3 after 12 games will determine the Masters champion in a stepladder final on dual lane condition Saturday afternoon.